HTTP is the abbreviation of HyperText Transport Protocol which is a telecommunication protocol popularly used for access to WEB site. WWW (World Wide Web) servers are composed to be able to activate HTTP programs, and handle data after WEB pages in the WEB servers get accesses from each client.
HTTP is a software program which usually waits for accesses at the WEB server, and manages communication transactions between the server and the clients. Then, if the HTTP gets accesses from the client side, it enables users to look Hyper/Text in WEB browser on the client's PC.
CGI (Common Gateway Interface) is a common interface to execute exterior applications called CGI programs executed on WEB servers.
IRC server is the abbreviation of Internet Relay Chat Server which is composed to enable real time and interactive message communication on the Internet. Through this IRC server, multi clients are able to chat on the real time base. Perfect real time chat session between clients on the Internet requires special server such as IRC server instead of WEB server.
In the environment mentioned above, the following system (1)˜(3) are known:
(1) Ordinary Chat System on WEB (WEB Chat System)
This is so called regular “Chat” system performed on the Internet browser. This is well known and frequently used at the present, and enables frequent transmission and receipt of text messages between multi clients by activating chat function program composed on the WEB server
(2) ICQ Type System
This is an application system which is always staying in a screen of client's PC without running browser and always communicating through Internet with a special server such as IRC server, and enables real time chat between multi clients through IRC sever. This type of system prevails widely, and as well as ICQ, many systems such as Yahoo Pager, Excite PAL, and AOL IM are used by many users.
(3) Push Technology
There have been systems and an application called Push Technology. It sends some specific information from WEB server to client's PC connected with Internet or Intranet in accordance with time or rule specified by a client in advance. This system is the technology which can send information from WEB server to client's PC without running browser.
However, the conventional technology does not have the following functions:
(1) Ordinary Type of WEB Chat System
Users have to move browser (Netscape or Internet Explorer, etc.) with this type of system, and usually chat on browser. Therefore, such system does not have the function to stay on client's PC and communicate with WEB server in the situation of inactivating browser, and the function eventually to move browser upon instruction from WEB server and activate other applications, and the function like Push Technology in which WEB type application for Chat system pushes some specific information to the client side. Besides, the conventional WEB chat system does not interlock with such functions.
Furthermore, since the conventional browser chat system is merely WEB server application activating on browser specialized in chat only, the system does not have such a function to stay on client's PC and always communicate with other WEB server applications in the background (while client is not conscious of it).
In other words, the conventional system merely enables only chat on client's browser through simple WEB server.
(2) ICQ Type System
Because this type of application system needs special server such as IRC server, it was impossible to compose a system utilizing WEB server. Therefore, this application was not possible to dynamically interlock with other applications in the WEB server.
Besides, as is the most serious defect, it is necessary to go through Intranet proxy/firewall in order to realize real time chat (communication with electronic message) by IRC server. But proxy/firewall of intranet in ordinary corporation or governmental office is composed in the manner that session with special sever such as IRC server is impossible unless a system administrator specially sets up and “makes hole” at the proxy server so that clients can chat each other using special server such as IRC server. Conversely, there is no firewall or proxy server which allow any communication to pass through without making any hole, and it is necessary to change system configuration of firewall/proxy in order to communicate among multi clients with IRC server and the application.
In the usual Internet server, Port 80 is assigned to the WEB application by HTTP protocol, and HTTP transaction is possible through this port number. But real time chat using special server such as IRC server does not use the port 80. On the other hand, access to the ordinary Internet server out of office through Intranet from office such as ordinary corporation, school, governmental office is usually done through this port 80. However, communication using the conventional IRC server can not go through this port 80, and it has been a problem that any session (logical connection between transmitter and recipient) is not possible unless a system administrator purposely “makes hole” at the port of which number is 1024 or more (for example 2000 or 3000).
Furthermore, the conventional system like IRC has possessed only a communication function as a main function despite it always stays on the top of client's PC screen. And multimedia function such as visual communication like TV phone, movie, and game in the main screen of the application, or showing graphic information, or playing music has been impossible.
That is, although the conventional IRC type application has occupied some precious space on the client's PC screen while PC is activated and always connected with some special Internet server, the application has enabled only chat on such important space.
In other words, although this type of application aims to occupy some precious space in the client's PC as the real ‘portal’ to the Internet/Intranet for a long time, the information given to the client in the space is only information in relation to chat with other clients which has been the most important purpose of the conventional system.
For example, only information such as who are connecting with whom or away from the desk is displayed on the screen. Although this space occupied by the application is very important space, the function to distribute multimedia information such as movie, still picture, music, game, graphic, and character information has not been provided.
This has been essentially fundamental serious drawback caused by the fact that the conventional system is connected only with the special server through special protocol specialized in communication instead of HTTP protocol with WEB server.
Besides, such system, which needs permanent connection with special server such as IRC server, causes a situation in which clients always connect with outside through the “hole” made specially. This implicitly means the problem that authorization of clients, identity authorization, and supervising/management of checking and permitting the right of entering/leaving the system is impossible, because background thought is different from that of firewall/proxy which strictly shuts out from the inside and outside. In this sense, it has been a problem to approve the usage of ICQ type of communication method in such environment as Intranet, because it really means making “hole” into proxy server.
Furthermore, since ICQ type of system does not assume cryptograph, if ICQ use cryptograph, it is impossible to use such popular type of cryptograph as SSL or SET which is popular and interlocking with HTTP protocol used for the communication between browser and WEB server.
Besides, when the screen of ICQ type of application is used as portal, the method of cryptograph for multimedia information from other WEB server can not be the one interlocking with HTTP, and the original one should be specially developed.
(3) Push Technology
The conventional push technology is broadcasting type service. The technology is always pours information to client's PC, and does not have a system to interlock with communication portion like that of this invention. There is just a system to push information from server to client's PC without running browser, and there is not a tool to communicate directly with information providers or related persons.
In such environment, this invention solves the shortcomings of the simple chat communication system based on the conventional technology. And this invention is a telecommunication system which has very much dynamic multimedia functions in the same way as WEB browser to be able to go through ordinary configuration firewall/proxy server.
This invention can also automatically pick up character information, music, and movie from WEB server in accordance with H=SP instruction whichever browser software is open or not. And this invention can also display multimedia information from WEB server to some specific space occupied at client's PC, and enables clients to chat like telephone chat using the function of such a space of this application.